The group painted the words "Freedom for all" on the window of the butter cow and then put paint on the sculpture. The incident was discovered early Sunday morning.

The group said members hid inside the Agriculture Building, emerged after closing time and dismantled a lock on the Butter Cow's case to gain entry to the sculpture.

"The paint represents the blood of 11 billion animals murdered each year in slaughterhouses, egg farms, and dairies," the group said in a statement.

The damage was cleaned up on Sunday before the building was opened to the public. The paint was removed from the window and Butter Cow sculpture Sarah Pratt came in to scrape off the paint and repair the damage.

"They won't be able to see anything. We were able to get the cooler cleaned up and get the Butter Cow cleaned up. We did not miss a beat in the Ag. Building," said Lori Chappell, marketing director at the Iowa State Fair.

Iowa State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Scott Bright said not much is known about Iowans for Animal Liberation, but he said it is obvious why the group sent a press release.

"I think it is an attempt to get some recognition because we knew about the vandalism. We notified the person who takes care of the cow, Sarah, it was all cleaned up," said Bright.

Those standing in line to see the Butter Cow, on Monday said they would have been very disappointed if the vandalism had destroyed the Butter Cow, as the vandals had hoped.

"It would have been terrible. What's the point of coming all the way out to the Iowa State Fair from New York and not getting to see the Butter Cow," said Oren Mayer.

There are security cameras stationed around the fairgrounds and that footage will be reviewed to see if anyone left the Ag. Building early Sunday morning.

Chappell said the State Fair is looking at some security changes after the incident, but they declined to discuss their plans.

If someone is arrested in connection with the case, they would likely face trespassing and vandalism charges, officials said.

Who would vandalize the State Fair Butter Cow? The group calling itself Iowans for animal Liberation claims credit for this mess. Red paint on the cow. And the words, "Freedom for All " painted on the glass. KCCI's Marcus McIntosh is live at the Iowa State Fair with our top story. Stacey and Kevin this all went down after the fair closed Saturday and before the fair opened Sunday morning. After the Iconic butter cow was found like this early Sunday morning....fair clean up crews and creator Sarah Pratt went to work...to make sure the icon was on display when the fair opened Sunday morning. ============= === SOT IN 2:13:12 LORI CHAPPELL THEY WONT BE ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE COOLER CLEANED UP AND GET THE BUTTER COW CLEANED UP...WE DID NOT MISS A BEAT IN THE AG BUILDING. ============= === Maybe not the disruption those involved had hoped for ...the group claiming responsibility, Iowans for Animal Liberation, sent out this press release... claiming to have hid inside the ag building and emerged after closing.. and "destroying" the butter cow with paint representing the blood of 11 billion animals murdered each year in slaughter houses..egg farms and dairies. Sgt. Scott Bright with the Iowa State Patrol says not much is known about Iowans for Animal Liberation ...but says it is obvious why the group sent a press release. ============= == 2:11:29 I think it is an attempt to get some recognition because we knew about the vandalism...we notified the person who takes care of the cow sarah it was all cleaned up.... ============= === This afternoon we found the lines to see the butter cow packed with fairgoers who had no idea of the weekend vandalism. But all would have been very disappoint had the vandalism prevented them from seeing the famed butter cow... ============= ========= SOT IN 2:17:21 OREN MAYER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE. WHATS THE POINT OF COMING ALL THE WAS OUT TO THE IOWA STATE FAIR FROM NEW YORK AND NOT GETTING TO SEE THE BUTTER COW. BUTT TO SOT IN 2:18:20 MELANIE MORGAN I DONT THINK I WOULD FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS A STATE FAIR TRADITION AND YOU ARE DEFAMING IT. There are cameras stationed around the fair...and that footage will be reviewed to see if anyone left the ag building early Sunday morning. We asked State fair marketing director Lori Chappell if there would

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